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Lauren Lovette

March 23rd 2022


I remember being about ten years old (when dance was just starting to get serious) and looking up videos of New York City Ballet.


Now, here's your history lesson for the day.


George Balanchine "the father of American ballet."


Many people credit Balanchine for coming up with the idea of contemporary ballet. However, it was actually Serge Diaghilev who first introduced the idea of it. Around this time, Serge brought together some of the countries most talented, dancers, choreographers, singers, composers, and designers and he called it Ballet Russes. He then created Diahilev’s Russian Ballet Company that had its first show in 1909.


But, that's a different story for a different time.


Diaghilev was by no means a choreographer, so he willingly handed that position to George Balanchine. He created a style somewhere between contemporary ballet and classical ballet and he called it neoclassical. Balanchine’s style is known for turned in legs, flexed hands, off-centered positions, complicated footwork, flying passes, fast petit allegro, and he used many non-traditional costumes. He was notorious for his signature Balanchine claw, turning from a straight back leg, and spotting front instead of the corner. He liked his dancers to be extremely petite with long arms and long legs. Balanchine then moved his technique and style to the United States and opened New York City Ballet in 1948. His technique and choreography is still taught and used today especially by his beloved company and members of the Balanchine Trust.


Okay, now back to my story.


When I was about ten years-old, I would spend hours upon hours looking up videos of New York City Ballet and its dancers. I watched Ashley Bouder, Tiler Peck, Sara Mearns, Kathyrn Morgan, Justin Peck, and Megan Fairchild just to name a few. However, Lauren Lovette is one of my absolute favorites of all time.


Now, it doesn't take too much to impress a ten year old, but she immediately left an impression on me at a very early age. Not only is she an amazing dancer, but she is a beautiful human inside and out, who (like me) has a passion for choreography.


Lauren started her ballet training at the age of eleven (which is pretty late to be starting if I am being completely honest). She studied at the Cary Ballet Conservatory in North Carolina followed by the School of American Ballet. In 2009, she became an apprentice with the company, she was promoted to a corps member in 2010, soloist in 2013, and principal in 2015!


I have watched her perform parts of Raymonda, Jerome Robbin's Interplay, The Cage, Giselle, and Serenade just to name a few.


She started exploring the realms of choreography in 2016 with her first original work For Clara which was commissioned and performed by New York City Ballet. Two more works were created for NYCB Not Our Fate (2017) and Shaded Line (2019). She has choreographed works for American Ballet Theatre and served as the Artist-in-Residence for the Vail Dance Festival in 2019 as well.


The New York Times exclaimed "There's a urgency to Ms. Lovette's desire to turn ballet inside out. In essence, she has crossed a line from prettiness to power." The only thing I can compare her emergence to is none other than Dwight Rhoden.


But, once again, different story for a different time.


In October of 2021, Lauren Lovette retired from her professional career as a principal dancer of New York City Ballet at age 29. Her final performance was Jerome Robbins Opus 19/The Dreamer and Ratmansky's Namouna, A Grand Divertissement. Lauren proclaimed, "It will give me the time to fully explore new creative projects as both a choreographer and dancer and I'm really excited about the future."


In March of 2022, Lauren Lovette was appointed resident choreographer of Paul Taylor Dance Company which is a very prestigious modern dance company located in New York City. It is extremely rare that a dancer of her status retires at such a young age just to choreograph. It is almost unheard of. However, I think it is admirable. I see a lot of myself in her by just observing her career from a distance.


I always tell my mother "Anyone can learn a Balanchine ballet, but not everyone can be Balanchine himself."


That sentence alone holds many truths. Choreography is a gift. It CAN be taught, but it comes naturally for some very lucky people. It is a talent and skill that is developed at a very young age. I started to notice my love for it when I was around 12. I remember listening to classical music and just being able to picture formations/choreography in my head without even trying.


It wasn't until I was sixteen that I actually had an opportunity to choreograph on a group of my friends at Young People's Ballet Theatre. I entered a student choreography contest through my studio and ended up winning. My directors at the time, Nick and Laura Schultz (ballet master and mistress of The Royal New Zealand Ballet), pulled me aside and told me to keep pursing choreography because I had a gift and a natural talent. Now, here I am seven years later, and I could not be more in love with what I do. I am beyond thankful.



My first original work, Shattered Reflections, was premiered by Young People's Ballet Theatre on June 4th 2016. This picture is a constant reminder for me to go after what I am passionate about in life even when it seems impossible at the time. The end result will always be worth every second.


"Why are you stingy with yourselves? Why are you holding back? What are you saving for? There are no other times. There is only now. Right now." - George Balanchine

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